Relic by Anne Hagan: Book Review

Relic by Anne Hagan is the first book in the Morelville Mystery Series.

How do you heal a broken heart and start over? Customs Special Agent Dana Rossi had to figure this out the hard way after her relationship went sour and it left her personal and professional life in shambles. Dana’s cases take her far and wide until one of her cases puts her in the path of Sheriff Mel Crane. This gorgeous butch officer is determined to put an end to a counterfeiting ring that she believes is operating right under her nose. There’s just one problem with that plan because Mel has a stalker and Dana will not rest until she finds out who is harassing the woman she is insanely attracted to. Dana has her own heavy caseload with a looming deadline. She has to strike a balance between the longings of her heart and her undercover assignment to find out who is smuggling phony designer apparel into the United States.

Things take a turn for the worst as Mel’s stalker gets braver and the attacks against her get more violent. Can Dana and Mel’s cases be connected? Will Mel and Dana be able to find out who is behind the counterfeit money and goods? Will these headstrong women be able to surrender to the happiness and the love they truly desire?

The Characters

Sheriff Mel Crane oversees law and order in the small town of Morelville. She will do anything to protect the people in this town and she works tirelessly in order to root out any form of organized crime. I think I would have been able to give Dana a bit of competition here in the swooning category! It’s a really good thing that I was lying in my bed when I got the first description of Mel because if I was standing up I would have done a face-plant for sure! I’m in so deep right now because I’ve fallen for Mel’s down to earth and generous nature. Sigh… too bad she’s a fictional character because I would have been eager to go out on a date with her!

Customs Special Agent Dana Rossi is working on a very demanding case when she literally bumps into Sheriff Mel Crane. I’ve got to hand it to Dana, she is definitely one feisty and determined lady because she isn’t afraid to face a perilous or an uncertain situation head on. She is a genuine and open-hearted person who has gone through so much and I have a lot of respect for her. Dana and I would have been the best of friends because she doesn’t think twice about assisting or offering to protect another person.

The Writing Style

Any story that has the ability to reel me in and keep me hooked from the first word will automatically go down in history as one of my favorites. This story did not fall short at all because it is a smooth blend of mystery and suspense with a healthy dose of budding attraction between two strong-willed women (this is the kind of book that I would always treasure because I couldn’t predict what was going to happen next!)

The Pros

Here I go again! I got the rare opportunity to live vicariously through these awesome women without leaving my bed! Dana and I would have been great undercover partners because we are curious by nature and we love our jobs. I left the best part for last, we both adore confident and gorgeous butch women and Mel just happens to be such a woman (wicked wink!)

The Cons

My only complaint is the cliffhanger at the end but other than that I really loved this story.

The Conclusion

I must tip my hat to this author because she created realistic and adorable characters that I have grown rather fond of. As a matter of fact, I am completely smitten with this charming town called Morelville. Mel and Dana have their own dilemmas to work through and they also have to contend with cases that will push their investigating skills to the limit. I can’t tell you how many times I have argued with my kindle as I shook my head at the blunders these stubborn women made as they went around in circles trying to find out “who done it.” If you enjoy stories with beautiful small towns, delightful neighbors, law enforcement agents and a criminal or two, then this is certainly the story for you.

Excerpt from Relic by Anne Hagan

As I turned toward the counter to pay for my drink, I all but smacked right into the most stunning butch woman I had ever laid eyes on. She took my breath away. My brain went into overdrive. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. Then, my ex flashed into my mind. I shuddered and tried to shake both thoughts away. This trip was all business and neither line of thinking was welcome.

The object of my attention reached out a hand to steady me. Taking hold of my elbow, she grinned and said, “Hey there. Easy does it.” She had a nice smile but, though she wasn’t young, I noticed no smile lines. Smiling obviously wasn’t an asset she used often.

I shook my head again, mumbled my thanks and strode to the counter. I handed the cashier a twenty and waited for my change. She picked up one of those counterfeit detection pens and attempted to mark the bill. Her line turned black. She pushed the bill back toward me.

“I’m sorry. I can’t take this. It’s no good. What else ‘ya got?”

“I got that bill out of the ATM in the store not three minutes ago. If it’s fake, then they’re passing them.” The Customs Agent in me was slipping out, unbidden, as my anger level ratcheted up.

The cashier leaned right and eyed someone behind me.

The butch beauty stepped to the counter and asked, “Is everything okay Kris?”

Her voice was strong and low and smooth like butter. I hadn’t noticed before. I didn’t turn. I just bristled and dug in my pocket for another twenty. I handed it over. The cashier marked it too and then made change.

As I turned from the counter, I felt a hand on my elbow again. I looked up into those deep brown eyes asking the obvious question with my own. Not realizing I spoke out loud, I said, “What the hell?”

“We need to talk about where you really got that bill.”

Now quite angry, I asked, “And just who are you?”

Smiling again, the woman that was fast moving from dream to nightmare in my mind took out a badge.

“I’m Mel Crane, the county Sheriff.”

Crap! Just what I don’t need! I looked her up and down more carefully this time. Tall for a woman at over six feet and broad shouldered, she was quite the specimen. Her jet black hair was cut short but with plenty on top for a good spike or to run your fingers through, if you were so inclined. I wasn’t, just now. That’s what I told myself, anyway. She was in khaki pants and a plaid shirt— the butch uniform anywhere else in the world but in this middle of nowhere, backwater. She absolutely exuded sex appeal.

“I’m in a hurry. I really got to get moving.”

“I’ll make it quick.” She smiled yet again. My legs became jelly.

She picked up the rejected twenty gingerly and slid it into her shirt pocket then she nodded to Kris and moved to the door. I really had no choice but to follow. There was only one way out for customers.

Cases collide for two star crossed ladies of law enforcement! Customs Special Agent Dana Rossi was forced to start her life anew after a bad breakup with her former girlfriend and the loss of job that she loved. These days, she spends life on the road, moving from one case to another until one day when runs run right into the path of Sheriff Mel Crane. The feisty, sexy butch cop is as determined to uncover a counterfeiting ring in her county as Agent Rossi becomes to stop a stalker obsessed with Mel and hot for her company. Dana is under the added pressure of conducting an undercover investigation of her own with a tight deadline: finding and then stopping a ring of smugglers bringing high end designer knock-offs into the states. Could their cases be related? When repeated vicious attacks on Mel and on her home accelerate the danger for her and also their attraction to each other, they become desperate to find the truth and solve the two mysteries. Can they find a way to work together to resolve both cases while coming to terms with their growing feelings for one another? Can Dana move beyond her jilted lover past and find true happiness with a small town Sheriff?

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My name is April Adams and I am an accountant at a civil service office. Even though I read a wide variety of lesbian fiction, I enjoy mystery and thriller books the most because I love the state of suspense the stories have me in until the end and I find out “who’s done it.”